2009 Toyota Highlander 2.7-Liter Four-Cylinder Test Drive

Oct 1, 2009

Let's face it: we're spoiled by displacement. American car culture was rooted in thirsty V8s and cheap gas, and only recently have we tightened our belts and seriously considered the issue of fuel economy and long-term sustainability.

Automakers have responded by building clean diesels, E85-burning engines, and all varieties of hybrid powerplants. But sometimes the easiest solution is also the simplest: downsizing. In its current generation, Toyota's Highlander has only been available in V6 or hybrid models. But for 2009 the strong-selling crossover is now available with a four-cylinder under the hood. We put nearly 400 miles on the downsized model, and can report that compromising engine size doesn't necessarily relegate you to automotive purgatory—or the slow lane. But it does make for better gas mileage.—Basem Wasef

The Specs

Skeptics should note that the base 2009 Highlander's four-cylinder engine puts out roughly as much power as Toyota's fairly recent V6s. This Highlander's 2.7-liter unit is a double-overhead cam, 16-valve engine with dual variable valve timing. The engine—internally referred to as 1AR-FE—is rated at 187 hp at 5800 rpm and 186 lb-ft of torque at 4100 rpm, almost identical to the engine found in the all-new Venza we test drove recently. Also shared with the Venza is a six-speed automatic transmission, while the V6 Highlander gets a five-speed automatic with a slightly shorter final drive ratio of 3.478 (versus 4.356).

The four-cylinder Highlander is only available in front-wheel-drive and base-trim levels. Five passengers can be seated comfortably with the standard two-row seating setup, and seven will fit with the optional third row, which comes standard on the V6 model. The four-cylinder Highlander is rated at 20 mpg city/27 mpg highway, and can run on 87 octane fuel.

The Drive

Though it's the most meagerly outfitted of all Highlanders, climbing inside the cabin of the base model reveals reasonably well-finished surfaces, soft-touch materials, and instrumentation that is clear and well-designed—very Toyota, if you will. You might miss the higher-end pampering that comes from a leather-wrapped steering wheel and navigation, but the four-cylinder's cockpit is still a pleasant place. And details such as subtle LED lighting make nighttime driving feel even a little upscale.

You would expect a four-cylinder engine to provide subpar acceleration on a 3847-pound midsize crossover, but this Highlander moves with reasonable authority. It won't light up a drag strip or have you screaming for mercy as it pins your spine into your seat, but this engine makes for perfectly acceptable response, thanks to the six-speed transmission. It does a solid job of picking the right gear for the right speed. And shifts are quick and nearly imperceptible—this is a smooth gearbox. Cruising along at 60 mph, the tach registers barely more than 1750 spm.

Handling is a bit numb, but the four-cylinder is actually more fun to toss around turns than the six-cylinder or the Hybrid models, which weigh between 132 and 794 pounds more. Interesting that the four-cylinder Highlander's combined EPA average of 23.5 mpg is only 2.5 mpg off the Highlander Hybrid's overall 26-mpg rating (based on 27 mpg city/25 mpg highway). We averaged a solid 25 mpg during a combination of highway and city driving.

The Bottom Line

Hybrid crossovers might capture the buzz, but smaller-engine models like the four-cylinder Highlander make a strong case for themselves. Though it doesn't come with the standard bells and whistles of the V6 or Hybrid models, our time in the base 2009 Highlander checked off many boxes: we found its cabin to be hospitable, it was reasonably fun to drive with enough refinement to prove itself palatable over long hauls. Best of all we didn't find ourselves stopping very often to fill up its 19.2-gal fuel tank. It might not have a V6's thrust or a Hybrid's caché, but for a daily driver with room for extra payload, the four-cylinder Highlander does the job and then some.

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